A few weeks ago, I was headed towards full on freak-out-mode. That happens to me sometimes and usually I feel it coming on. 90% of the time I end somewhere between the ugly cry and/or wrangling back emotions that I don’t want to feel. But on this day I said to the Lord, “Lord, I am NOT okay!” He reminded me of a song from one of my dearest mentors called, I’m Okay. There’s always a theme song over every season of my life. From as early as I can remember, I kept a song in my heart that carried me through difficult things. So, I turned up the volume and let the tears escape my eyes. Sweetly, like He does, I heard a few things that helped me power through my moment of chaos into His courts and wrapped in His peace, held in His love.

How to Be Okay:

1.Sing. Worship. Dance. Blast your worship song through the speakers. Sing it out loud and don’t care about who might be watching. God is watching. And He’s the only one that matters. He makes things right when you worship. Psalm 7:17 “I’m thanking God, who makes things right. I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God.”

2.Breathe. Inhale and exhale slowly. Take ten deep breaths. Oxygen helps your brain think clearly. Ask Him to breathe His wisdom over your life. Psalms 119: 73 “With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you”

3.Find a safe, wise mentor. Be accountable to them and let them in on the whole story, not just the parts you feel justified in or the part for which you desire sympathy. A trustworthy mentor will be able to help you sort through the feelings and separate them from the facts. They will encourage and correct, if you let them. Proverbs 15:22 “Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.”

4.Wear less make up. All you really need is a good concealer, powder, mascara and lip color. Ease up on your morning routine and spend some extra minutes in a quiet moment.

5.Feast. Get in the Word of God and delight in His goodness. It is your daily bread, and you cannot function as a famished female. You need to start your day with fuel that will carry you through the easy and the hard stuff. If you feel like you don’t understand what you are reading, ask Holy Spirit to explain it. Find a Bible Study that helps you stay motivated. Girls, we have to get in the Word of God.

6.Move. Get outside and let the sun shine on you. Move your body and exercise. We were made to move, dance, jump, run and play. Being active keeps us sane and Vitamin D is so good for the immune system. The sunshine will boost serotonin levels and fight depression.

7.LOL! Find a way to laugh out loud. Go to a funny movie, find a hilarious friend to take to lunch, play a game with your family. Even if it’s the last thing you feel like doing… laughter has healing power for the heart, and it’s also an act of worship. Proverbs 17:22 “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Psalm 100:1-2 “On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.”